Stoke-on-Trent / Stoke-on-Trent 11+
London Road, Trent Vale, ST4 5NT
St Joseph's College
1
A selective co-educational grammar school in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,132 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective co-educational grammar school in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,132 pupils on roll. Based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, the school serves boys and girls aged 11-18 and includes sixth-form study as part of the offer. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,132 pupils on roll and 150 Year 7 places. The school also has a Roman Catholic character, which can matter for families thinking about ethos as well as academic fit.
Admissions are central to understanding whether this school is the right fit and realistic shortlist option. The current route includes Individual, with 150 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks moderate by grammar-school standards. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
Academically, the published picture is strong and easier to judge than reputation alone. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.81 and Attainment 8 at 62. 80% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 16% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 65% moving into higher education.
For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. That mix of selective entry, published outcomes, and school life is what will matter most to families deciding whether St Joseph's College belongs on a serious shortlist.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Stoke-on-Trent and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Stoke-on-Trent and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Stoke-on-Trent and England.
Children must first reach the age-adjusted qualifying score of 105. After that, St Joseph's allocates places through its Catholic, Christian, and other published priority groups rather than by continuing to rank test scores.
There is no designated catchment area; applications are considered regardless of local-authority area.
Baptised Catholic looked-after and previously looked-after children
This is the highest Year 7 category once the child has reached the required mark in the entrance test.
Other Baptised Catholic children in the published Catholic priority order
The next Catholic categories cover siblings, children of staff, and then other Baptised Catholic applicants. These categories normally account for up to 125 places, with Pupil Premium priority operating within the Catholic order.
Christian applicants in the published Christian priority order
The Christian categories then cover looked-after children, siblings, children of staff, and other Christian applicants. These categories normally account for 18 places unless unused Catholic places are released.
Other non-Christian or no-faith applicants
Remaining places follow the non-Christian priority categories. If a final tie remains within a category, straight-line distance from the permanent home address to the college is used, followed by random allocation if needed.
St Joseph's College uses a school-specific 11+ route built around age-standardised verbal and non-verbal reasoning papers. The entrance test decides whether a child reaches the qualifying score of 105, but places are then allocated through the published faith-based oversubscription categories rather than by continuing to rank test scores.
Paper 1
VR
Verbal reasoning paper
Standardised verbal reasoning paper. The school page describes this paper as 50 minutes long.
Paper 2
NVR
Non-verbal reasoning paper
Standardised non-verbal reasoning paper. The school page describes this paper as 40 minutes long.
Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
English, Maths, Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
Verbal reasoning
Standardised verbal reasoning paper. The school page describes this paper as 50 minutes long.
Non-verbal reasoning
Standardised non-verbal reasoning paper. The school page describes this paper as 40 minutes long.
English
Maths
Science
Creative writing
Registration opens
29 June 2026
Registration closes
2 September 2026
Entrance test day one
15 September 2026
Entrance test day two
16 September 2026
Entrance test day three
17 September 2026
National offer day
1 March 2027
Register for the entrance test
Registration opens from 29 June 2026 and closes on 2 September 2026.
Open admissions pageSit the entrance test
The 2027 entry test is scheduled across 15, 16 and 17 September 2026.
Open stepComplete the application after qualification
Pupils who reach 105 or above receive the online application link and any required faith-form instructions.
Open stepLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 64.8 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 64.5 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 62 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 62.4 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | B average (38.4 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | C+ average (33.9 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | C+ average (33.7 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | C+ average (33.9 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 95% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 2% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 5 February 2014
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Stoke-on-Trent
Compare the best grammar schools in Stoke-on-Trent for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. In Stoke-on-Trent, catchment, competition for places, and each school's own admissions rules matter more than a single shared test route.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
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Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools Rated Outstanding by Ofsted
Explore grammar schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted in the UK and narrow them by GCSE strength, county, and school type before you compare a realistic shortlist.
Best Grammar Schools in Stoke-on-Trent
Compare the best grammar schools in Stoke-on-Trent for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. In Stoke-on-Trent, catchment, competition for places, and each school's own admissions rules matter more than a single shared test route.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools Rated Outstanding by Ofsted
Explore grammar schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted in the UK and narrow them by GCSE strength, county, and school type before you compare a realistic shortlist.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
St Joseph's College currently uses Individual.
1. Register for the entrance test: Registration opens from 29 June 2026 and closes on 2 September 2026. 2. Sit the entrance test: The 2027 entry test is scheduled across 15, 16 and 17 September 2026. 3. Complete the application after qualification: Pupils who reach 105 or above receive the online application link and any required faith-form instructions.
Registration opens: 29 June 2026. Registration closes: 2 September 2026. Entrance test day one: 15 September 2026. Entrance test day two: 16 September 2026. Entrance test day three: 17 September 2026. National offer day: 1 March 2027
St Joseph's College is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 5 February 2014.